


I Saw Asami Kissing Santa Claus

by BarbWireThong



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Fluff, Korrasami - Freeform, One last holiday hit to help avoid Christmas withdrawal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:01:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28354368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarbWireThong/pseuds/BarbWireThong
Summary: “So,” Tenzin continued, “I take it Mako will handle Santa’s duties this year?”Mako nearly choked on his food. Asami raised an eyebrow. Korra tried, and failed, to stifle a guffaw.“MAKO?” roared Bolin. “You think Mako can take over the role I have inhabited these past few years?” True to his dramatic style, he covered his heart as he said it and sounded as if the mere idea gravely wounded him.“Maybe Korra would make a better fill in?” Asami gently suggested.
Relationships: Korra/Asami Sato
Comments: 16
Kudos: 189





	I Saw Asami Kissing Santa Claus

It was quiet at Tenzin’s Toy Temple. That wouldn’t be the case for long. Soon the place would be crowded with parents looking for that Christmas’s hot seller, and kids who loved how much the place felt like a magical wonderland built just for them.

The store featured bright and bold colors, but still felt warm. Tenzin kept not only the latest playthings, but also classics you could no longer find anywhere else—like actual wooden rocking horses and real dolls that didn’t walk or talk or connect to some app.

Whatever you were looking for, you could likely find it there.

Four years ago, as a college freshman, Mako had been looking for a job and a way to make extra money over the holiday break. He had recruited his then-girlfriend Asami. His little brother Bolin had tagged along, and Bolin had invited his crush, Korra.

The relationships between the four of them had evolved quite a bit over time. Asami and Mako broke up. Mako briefly went out with Korra. Bolin’s affections had transferred elsewhere. Asami and Korra became extremely close friends in their own right. What never changed is that the four enjoyed each other’s company so much, that they kept coming back, year after year, to work at Tenzin’s together.

The dinner they were having tonight in the break room had become a little tradition of theirs, a way to catch up before the rush began.

Tenzin was asking them questions about life at Republic City University, where they now all attended school. He appreciated their privacy, but also broached a few respectfully cautious questions about their personal lives.

Korra’s understanding of boundaries was…a little different. With her mouth half full of food, she volunteered that everyone on campus wanted to date Asami, but she was still single.

“Oh, spirits!” offered the marine biology major. “I think she’s turned down everyone, Tenzin!”

“Not everyone,” Asami responded softly.

Tenzin stroked his sharply angled beard. “It sounds like you have a very full life even without a boyfriend, Asami.”

“That’s _definitely_ true!” Asami laughed. And it was. She was a grad student in mechanical engineering, with a challenging course load. She already had a role in her father’s Fortune 500 business. She managed to keep in amazing shape. On top of all that, she still found time to hang out with her friends.

“Now, Bolin? Do you want to tell me how you broke your arm?” Tenzin inquired.

Bolin looked excited. Everyone else around the table groaned.

“It’s a different story every time,” Mako informed Tenzin.

“So far, he has rescued a fair maiden from the train tracks, saved a busload of orphans, and…what was the last one?” inquired Korra of no one in particular.

“Prevented the assassination of Prince Wu, knocking Wu down right before the assassin’s bullet struck.” Asami replied.

Bolin smiled. “Okay, okay. So obviously that was a bit of an exaggeration! It wasn’t _right_ before. More like split seconds.”

He had a flair for the dramatic, but that wasn’t the reason for all Bolin’s different explanations. The big galoot just didn’t want anyone blaming his pet ferret for the injury, and what had actually happened was Pabu had surprised Bolin from within the Christmas tree while Bolin was on a ladder.

“Well, in any case, I guess it means you can’t be our Santa this year,” Tenzin pointed out.

It was clear from his crestfallen expression, Bolin hadn’t considered that yet.

“It will leave you more time to flirt with that delivery girl from the restaurant you like,” amended Tenzin quickly to try to alleviate the wound somewhat.

“Oh, yeah!” Bolin agreed…although he didn’t really like the restaurant, A License to Kale. He just liked the young woman who brought him his food.

“So,” Tenzin continued, “I take it Mako will handle Santa’s duties this year?”

Mako nearly choked on his food. Asami raised an eyebrow. Korra tried, and failed, to stifle a guffaw.

“MAKO?” roared Bolin. “You think Mako can take over the role I have inhabited these past few years?” True to his dramatic style, Bolin covered his heart as he said it and sounded as if the idea gravely wounded him. 

“Maybe Korra would make a better fill in?” Asami gently suggested.

Once Mako cleared his throat, he conceded he wasn’t great with kids, and Korra would be an excellent replacement.

“Well, then it sounds like a plan! Mako, you and Bolin will be the elves, Asami can continue as Mrs. Claus, and Korra will be our Santa.” Even as he ticked through everybody’s roles, Tenzin realized that he liked this solution so much, he was a little upset he hadn’t come up with it on his own.

There was one equally brilliant idea he had, had, though, when the group first got together, and so it had also become a part of their tradition. “Do make sure you all write your letters to Santa, and leave them in your stocking before you depart this evening,” he instructed.

It was his way of getting the youngsters to think about what they wanted in life, and even if Bolin had once asked Santa for a zonkey (because who couldn’t use a striped pack animal to carry their books around campus?) it usually worked.

“So? How do I look?” Korra asked Asami in the break room the next day. The boys had already changed into their elf costumes, and now the ladies were taking their turn getting into character.

“Good. Really good, Korra. I'm loving the beard. Only…” Asami trailed off, reaching into her purse as she did so. “May I?” She wanted permission before applying some additional blush to Korra’s cheeks.

“Oh, yeah. Sure.”

Korra and Asami lived with one another in an off-campus apartment, sharing “everything, but toothbrushes,” as Korra once put it. They studied together, ate together, even slept together when Korra’s parents occupied her room on their semi-regular visits.

However, this felt more intimate and delicate than all that. Korra started to examine the ceiling to keep from having to look directly into Asami’s emerald green eyes now millimeters away from her own face. She shivered when Asami blew lightly to keep any extra rouge from ending up in Korra’s fake facial hair.

After Asami took a step back, Korra finally exhaled a breath she had not realized she’d been holding.

“And you look snazzy as always,” said Korra, gesturing to Asami’s Mrs. Claus outfit.

Asami swished the dress about and did a turn. “What? This old thing?”

The two laughed and left for “Santa’s village,” where they would soon be greeting scores of children.

The area was covered in fake snow. There were empty boxes wrapped in shiny, foil wrapping paper to look like gifts. Behind Santa’s seat, there was a mock fireplace hearth with stockings and letters to Santa hanging above painted flames that gave no warmth.

On the other hand, the Christmas joy the scene brought was very, very real—especially because Korra was every bit as good as Santa as Bolin ever was.

Her laugh was genuine; her innocence shone through bright, blue eyes. She had the most endearing ability to speak directly to children, as opposed to only pretending to do so while making remarks for an audience of onlooking adults.

While she was meeting with the kids, Mako was keeping things out front organized. He noticed a little girl who seemed especially ill at ease.

“You know, I was scared the first time I met Santa,” he admitted to her. Her mother looked horrified by the comment, and Mako suddenly remembered who he was supposed to be pretending to be.

“Of course, as an elf, I got used to the big laugh and big belly and all that. He really isn’t all that bad.”

The girl nodded, but refused to speak.

“If she’s autistic, I can let Santa know,” Mako informed the mother kindly.

“No, no,” she answered. “Vanessa is just shy. Aren’t you?” She smiled at her daughter and bent down to rest a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Mako knew a little bit about how hard it could be for someone to share themself with others. He gave it a moment’s thought, cast a glance at his stocking, then snapped his fingers. “I’ve got just the answer.”

He disappeared briefly and returned with a crayon and paper. Kneeling in front of Vanessa, he suggested if she thought it would be hard to talk to Santa, maybe she could just hand him a note.

Vanessa gingerly took the proffered items and toddled off to a table in the play area. Vanessa’s Mom stayed where she was in order to save their place in line.

“That was so thoughtful of you,” she thanked Mako.

Mako could have told her how he identified with Vanessa’s struggle, that he also sometimes found expressing himself overwhelming. Instead he just shrugged. “Not a problem.”

Vanessa finished her note and made it back to her Mom. In the meantime, Mako offered some whispered words to Asami about the girl, so when she reached the front of the line, Mrs. Claus was prepared with a quiet, understated welcome.

“Would you like me to take you to Santa so he can read your letter?” Asami asked softly.

The girl nodded. Given her demure demeanor, Asami was surprised when the young girl, inspired by Asami's kind nature, clasped her hand and allowed herself to be led.

Whatever courage she had shown in that action soon vanished, and Vanessa hid herself behind Asami’s leg, rather than confront the jolly elf in the chair roaring with laughter.

Korra course corrected quickly, quieting her voice and stilling her previously boisterous movements. “Oh, I’m sorry, my dear. I get a little overexcited at Christmastime. You will forgive me, won’t you?”

Impressed by Korra’s intuition, Asami smiled. “Vanessa would like to give you her letter, Santa.”

Korra slid off her seat and sat cross-legged on the floor, earning another smile from Asami.

“I would very much like to read it,” Korra said tenderly.

It was enough. Vanessa pealed herself from Asami’s side to hand Korra the paper. Korra unfolded it and silently read its contents.

_Dear Santa,_

_All I want this Crismas is a frend._

_Vanessa_

“Do you want to know a secret, Vanessa?” Korra asked quietly. It was deliberately quiet enough to draw the young girl closer. “As much as you believe in me, I believe in you even more, and I think this is a Christmas gift you can get for yourself. I’m sure of it. My gift to you today will be to remind you that you are a wonderful person and deserve as many friends as you want. But…” This last word was said sing-song, and Korra smiled so broadly, that a grin flashed across Vanessa’s reserved features as well. “What would you like me to put in my sleigh for you?”

“I want a new set of Legos…please.”

“Then I’ll see what I can do!”

Korra remained still, waiting for Vanessa to return to her Mom, but before she did so, the little girl leaned into Santa for a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“Aw,” Korra said. “Thanks, kiddo.”

Vanessa didn’t walk away. She ran, but not in fear or because she was in a hurry. She was excited and fueled by joy. Her mother recognized it and mouthed a thank you.

The whole interaction couldn’t have lasted more than a few minutes, but it stuck with Asami enough that when their shift ended and they reentered the break room, she brought it up.

“You were such a perfect Santa!” she raved. “Especially with that little girl who wanted a friend?”

“I did all right.” It was—Asami knew—playfully false modesty, but Korra’s follow-up remark was completely sincere. “ _You_ were a perfect Mrs. Claus.”

Asami smiled slyly. “I guess that makes us the perfect couple.”

Normally, Korra would have laughed this off, but something about the way the day had gone made her reconsider. Playing Mr. and Mrs. Claus, she had known there would be some PDA, nothing that would have been out of bounds for two close friends, of course; but Asami had been even more affectionate than expected—the little touches, the superfluous glances, the sweet terms of endearment dropped into conversation happened with such frequency as to surprise Korra. She had written it off as Asami trying to sell the part to the kids.

After all, the sad reality was, as perfect as she was in the role, it was always going to take a little extra effort to make children believe that a Water Tribe woman was Santa. She didn’t look like all the pictures they had been shown.

Now, however, Asami was gazing at her with something like hope in her eyes.

“Are you...I mean, I don’t want to make assumptions, but are you…flirting with me?” Korra stuttered.

Asami almost laughed. _Throwing myself at you is more like it_ , she thought. However, she wasn’t surprised that Korra remained unsure, despite how obvious Asami believed she had been.

“Would that be okay?” asked Asami gently.

“Yes!” It astonished Korra how quickly she responded. She had never considered the possibility of her and Asami dating or even the rush of happiness such a possibility would bring. Fortunately, she wasn’t one to second guess things, let alone something that felt as right as this. Besides, her awareness of Asami’s apparent attraction might have been new, but her own feelings had been there for a while, like stars during the daytime, just waiting for their hour. “Yes! It would be more than okay, but why now, Asami?”

There couldn’t have been more than two feet between them. It felt like two miles. Asami moved to close the gap.

She ran her hands up Korra’s forearms, enjoying the sensation of strong muscles under velvety soft fabric, but showing admirable restraint in stopping at the elbows so that they shared a loose embrace.

“Because it’s Christmastime, and that’s the time of year wishes come true. Especially if you help them along.”

Korra really wanted to kiss Asami at that moment. She leaned forward to do so…until she remembered the fake beard she was still wearing. It made her chuckle. To ensure Asami didn’t take that the wrong way, she made a joke.

“Wait. You don't have a Santa fetish, don’t you?”

“No,” answered Asami good naturedly. “I promise I do not.”

Ignoring the denial, Korra continued to joke. “You do! Spirits! I wish I had known earlier. It’s going to take a whole lot of cookies to go from six-pack to a bowlful of jelly.”

“Don’t you dare.” There was the slightest hint of menace in Asami’s voice, which reminded Korra that her new girlfriend was probably the nicest person on earth to also possess the knowledge of an infinite number of ways to dispose of a body.

Korra was ready with more than a peace offering. “Well, how about this: I know Bolin hung some mistletoe, hoping to be able to catch that delivery girl, Opal, under it. Why don’t I take this costume off, and we go find it?”

"You could say it's everything I wanted from Santa this year," hummed Asami.

As they were searching, Mako asked Korra if she still had Vanessa’s letter. She did, and willingly turned it over to him at his request.

He was putting that note alongside his own in the stocking over the fake fireplace when he heard his brother yell.

“HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? THAT’S SUPPOSED TO BE ME AND OPAL’S MISTLETOE!”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading this. 
> 
> We had a white Christmas where I'm at, which was very nice, but it also meant I had to shovel the driveway. This is what I came up with while I was doing that. Consider it one last hit of holly and jolly to prevent Christmas withdrawal.
> 
> Thanks again. I really am very grateful.


End file.
